Strip lighting structure

ABSTRACT

A strip lighting structure fabricated from extruded metal components adapted to interlock with a minimum of fasteners to provide a rigid assembly for outdoor or indoor use, said structure providing improved illumination of a front translucent panel and of an area immediately below the lighting structure.

United States Patent 1 Wilson et al.

[ STRIP LIGHTING STRUCTURE [73] Assignee: said Wilson, by said Bookbinder,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: Sept. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 293,432

111 3,748,461 1451 July 24,1973

3,131,871 5/1964 Foulds 240/9 R X Primary Examiner-Richard L. Moses Attorney-Ame l. Fors et al.

[5 7 ABSTRACT A strip lighting structure fabricated from extruded 52] U.S. Cl. 240/51.11 R, 240/9 R, 240/73 R 511 1111. C1. 1105b 33/02 metal components adapted to Interlock will a [58] Field of Search 240/s1.11 R, 6, 9 R, mum of fasteners Provide a rigid assembly for 240/78 R, 5 73 R, 2 R, 2 AD, 2 52/28 door or indoor use, said structure providing improved illumination of a front translucent panel and of an area [56] References u immediately below the lighting structure.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,897,348 7/1959 Akely et a1 240/9 R X 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIED Jul24|975 3. 748.461

- I no sum 1 nr 2 STRIP LIGHTING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a lighting structure and, in particular, is directed to a lighting structure for providing strip illumination. The structure of the invention may, for example, be utilized in gasoline service station buildings for the provision of an aesthetic coloured strip about eave fascias while providing illumination of the walls below the eaves.

Known strip lighting structures are comprised of a multiplicity of component parts formed of sheet metal which are bolted, screwed or riveted together to form an unitary assembly. Such structures suffer the disadvantages, however, of being weak structurally or, if rcinforced to acquire rigidity, become excessively heavy and difficult to transport and support. In addition, such structures require considerable time for assembly by skilled workmen.

It is a principal object of the present invention therefore to provide a light-weight strip lighting structure of any desired length which can be quickly and readily assembled by semi-skilled workmen with a minimum of fasteners, from relatively inexpensive extruded components, thus providing important savings in material and labour costs.

Sheet metal parts comprising components of known lighting structures normally are fabricated by break or roll-forming and, if it is found necessary at a later date to replace sections of lighting structure, difficulty and considerable expense normally are encountered in matching shapes.

It is another object of the invention therefore to provide extruded component parts which can be readily fabricated with good reproducibility and matching of shapes to facilitate assembly and subsequent replacement and repair of the lighting structure.

Conventional strip lighting structures also suffer from the important disadvantage of uneven light intensity along the illuminated face of the structure due to dark zones at the juncture of sources of illumination, such as fluorescent tubes, and due to a wavy configuration of the translucent fascia panel caused by improper suspension of said panel in the lighting structure.

It is still another important object of the present invention therefore to provide strip illumination of uniform light intensity by utilizing an improved arrangment of light sources and a novel suspension for illuminated panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the preferred embodiment of our invention, metal components comprising our lighting structures are formed into desired shapes by extrusion of a metal such as aluminum which is light in weight, structurally strong, and resistant to corrosion. The said I shapes utilize mating inserts and recesses which facilihorizontal flange formed along the free edge of the said vertical wall; a roof adapted to overlie and abut said gussets and said horizontal flange with means carried by said roof for securing said roof to said gussets and said horizontal flange; a plurality of spaced bracket members secured to the underside of the horizontal bottom wall and extending forwardly of said internal member substantially coextensive with the forward edge of the roof; top and bottom retaining means for securing a translucent panel to the forward edge of the roof and to said bracket members; lateral retaining means for securing a translucent or clear panel to the sides of said bracket members; and light source means supported by the internal member vertical wall for illuminating said front panel and light source means supported by the bracket members for illuminating the bottom clear or translucent panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoing and other objects of the invention and the manner in which they can be attained will become apparent from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a strip lighting structure of the present invention incorporated in the eave fascia, structure of a service station building;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the structure shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the overlapping relationshp of fluorescent tubes and the interrelationship of structural component parts;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken across the the structure of FIG. 2 showing in greater detail the component parts; and

FIG.. 4 is a front section taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3 illustrating in detail the relationship of a lower lighting source.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The structure of the present invention shown generally in FIG. 1 comprises an elongated box-like assembly designated generally by numeral 10 secured, for example, to the eave fascia of a building 11. It will be understood, however, that although the description proceeds with reference to a strip lighting structure secured to and supported by an eave fascia, the structure of the invention can be secured above or below the eaves on the roof or walls of a building as desired or can be installed indoors about room walls or above display counters.

With particular reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, assembly 10 comprises an internal member 12 such as an extruded angle or channel consisting of a vertical wall 14, horizontal wall 16, and flanges 18, 20 appended to walls 14, 16 respectively as shown. Member 12, hereinafter referred to as an angle member, supports a plural ity of gussets 22 at uniformly spaced intervals therealong by means of spaced ridges 24, 26 formed along the upper portion of the external face of wall 14. Ridges 24, 26 are adapted to receive in tight-fitting engagement therebetween projections 28, 30 formed on opposite edges of gusset basal wall 32. A screw 34 can be used to positively secure gusset 22 to angle 12.

Gusset 22 preferably is of a triangular configuration having basal wall 32 for securement against angle wall 14 and wall 36 at right angles thereto for planar continuation of angle flange 18. Roof 38 seated on flange 18 and gusset wall 36 has ridge 39 formed thereon intermediate its edges adapted to engage the edge of angle flange 18 and has an upset portion 40 formed along the front portion thereof with lip 41 turned through 90 to define a recess 42 adapted to receive edge extension 43 of gusset 22. Upset portion 40 further defines a hanger portion 44 which is adapted to slidably support elongated translucent panel 45, by engagement with shoulder 47, and thus retain panel 45 by its upper edge along the front of assembly as shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 3, for reasons which will become evident as the description proceeds.

A retainer-closure cap 47 is adapted to overlie the interconnection of panel 45 on hanger portion 44 such that said panel is positively secured thereto, with cap edge 49 inserted into longitudinal recess 51 to provide a watertight seal at the said juncture.

A longitudinal flange 48 formed in proximity to the rear edge of roof 38 and depending downwardly therefrom is disposed in substantially vertical alignment with angle flange for receiving vertical stiffeners 50 corresponding in longitudinal spacing along angle 12 with support brackets 52. Vertical stiffeners 50 are secured to flanges 48, 20 by fasteners such as bolts 54 and receive in abutment thereagainst rear assembly wall 56 which is locked to roof 38 by insertion of terminal wall ridge 58 in roof groove 60 and secured to stiffeners 50 by self-tapping screws 62. Ridge-groove connection 58, 60 permits limited hinging movement of wall 56 of about 30 for inspection and service of the interior of the light structure.

Each of bracket members 52 comprises a pair of spaced side walls 64 with flanges 66 formed along their upper edges for securement to the underside of angle wall 16 by bolts 68. The lower edges of walls 64 are seated in grooves 70 formed in the opposite edges of bracket basal wall 72 and secured thereto such as by welding or brazing. Laterally extending grooves 74 are formed along the opposite edges of wall 72 planar with groove 76 formed along the lower edge of rear wall 56 and with groove 78 formed in longitudinal retainer member 80 secured along the front lower corner of assembly l0. Retainer member 80 is secured to an extension (not shown) of basal wall 72 of bracket 52 by a fastener such as self-tapping screw 84.

Each of grooves 74, 76 and 78 has a recess 79 formed longitudinally in its lower side to receive a pile seal strip therein for abutment against panel 86 inserted in said grooves and provision of an effective water, dust and bug seal along the edges of the panel. Panel 86 may be of a clear or translucent plastic material such as acrylic plastic, depending on the amount of light desired to be transmitted below the lighting structure to illuminate, for example, the walls of building 11.

Front panel 45 is received by its opposite upper and lower edges 88, 90 in grooves 92 and 94 defined between opposed wall 93 and lip 41 and in lower retainer member 80 respectively. It will be evident from FIGS. 2 and 3 that panel 44 is free to slide longitudinally on hanger 44 while being restrained from lateral separation therefrom by the upper retainer, thereby permitting expansion and contraction of panel 44 relative to the metal components of assembly 10, due to different coefficients of expansion, without deformation of said panel Acorner plate 1 10 covers the abutting ends of panels 45 and an opaque bottom plate 1 l2 normally is secured to the underside of the assembly.

With particular reference now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, light sources such as fluorescent tubes 96, 98 are staggered along the front faceof angle wall 14 and operatively secured thereto by electrical sockets 100. l have found that overlapping of the tubes as shown in FIG. 2 obviates vertical dark bands and shadows commonly occurring in the illuminated translucent panels forming the face of conventional strip lighting structures.

Axially aligned fluorescent tubes 102 seated in sockets 104 secured to bracket members 52 provide a source of light for the underside of assembly 10, the light from tubes 102 being supplemented and reinforced by light from tubes 96, 98.

A plurality of inverted channels 106 forming hat sections longitudinally spaced along box assembly 10 are welded or otherwise connected to the upper surface of roof 38 for receiving supports (not shown) carried by the building eave for rigidly securing the said assembly 10 to the building. Assembly 10 can be readily spaced from the wall as desired to permit access to its interior through rear wall 56, and can be adjusted vertically within the hat sections for horizontal alignment of adjacent sections.

lt will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the preferred embodiments of the present invention as described hereinabove without departing from the scope and purview of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by letters patent of the United States is:

1. A strip lighting structure comprising, in combination: an elongated internal member having a vertical side wall and a horizontal bottom wall, said vertical wall having a horizontal flange formed along its upper free edge; a plurality of gussets secured to the internal member vertical wall at spaced intervals therealong to extend forwardly of said member, a side wall of each of said gussets being disposed substantially planar with the horizontal flange formed along the free edge of the said vertical wall; a roof adapted to overlie and abut said gussets and said horizontal flange with means carried by said roof for securing said roof to said gussets and said horizontal flange; a plurality of spaced bracket members secured to the underside of the horizontal bottom wall and extending forwardly of said internal member substantially coextensive with the forward edge of the roof; top and bottom retaining means formed along the front edges of said roof and said bracket members for securing a translucent fascia panel to said forward edges; lateral retaining means for securing a translucent or clear panel to the sides of said bracket members; and light source means supported by the internal member vertical side wall for illuminating said front fascia panel and light source means supported by the bracket members for illuminating the bottom clear or translucent panel.

2. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said light sources connected to the forward surface of said vertical wall are vertically staggered and overlap relative to each other to obviate dark zones.

3. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, said horizontal flange formed along the vertical wall upper free edge extending rearwardly thereof and terminating with a bevelled edge, and said means carried by said roof for engaging said horizontal flange comprising a bevelled rib adapted to abut and engage said bevelled flange edge.

4. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said front fascia panel and said bottom panel retaining means include longitudinal T-shaped slots having pile seal strips disposed therein for abutment against said panels for the provision of effective seals along the edges of the said panels.

5. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said fascia panel top retaining means comprises overlap relative to each other to obviate dark zones.

* t t i 

1. A strip lighting structure comprising, in combination: an elongated internal member having a vertical side wall and a horizontal bottom wall, said vertical wall having a horizontal flange formed along its upper free edge; a plurality of gussets secured to the internal member vertical wall at spaced intervals therealong to extend forwardly of said member, a side wall of each of said gussets being disposed substantially planar with the horizontal flange formed along the free edge of the said vertical wall; a roof adapted to overlie and abut said gussets and said horizontal flange with means carried by said roof for securing said roof to said gussets and said horizontal flange; a plurality of spaced bracket members secured to the underside of the horizontal bottom wall and extending forwardly of said internal member substantially coextensive with the forward edge of the roof; top and bottom retaining means formed along the front edges of said roof and said bracket members for securing a translucent fascia panel to said forward edges; lateral retaining means for securing a translucent or clear panel to the sides of said bracket members; and light source means supported by the internal member vertical side wall for illuminating said front fascia panel and light source means supported by the bracket members for illuminating the bottom clear or translucent panel.
 2. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said light sources connected to the forward surface of said vertical wall are vertically staggered and overlap relative to each other to obviate dark zones.
 3. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, said horizontal flange formed along the vertical wall upper free edge extending rearwardly thereof and terminating with a bevelled edge, and said means carried by said roof for engaging said horizontal flange comprising a bevelled rib adapted to abut and engage said bevelled flange edge.
 4. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said front fascia panel and said bottom panel retaining means include longitudinal T-shaped slots having pile seal strips disposed therein for abutment against said panels for the provision of effective seals along the edges of the said panels.
 5. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said fascia panel top retaining means comprises a shoulder formed longitudinally on one side of said panel in proximity to its upper edge, an elongated hanger formed along the forward edge of the roof, and a closure cap for securing said panel shoulder to said hanger whereby said panel is vertically supported while free to slide longitudinally.
 6. A strip lighting structure as claimed in claim 5, in which said light sources connected to the forward surface of said vertical wall are vertically staggered and overlap relative to each other to obviate dark zones. 